Border security enhanced
Measures part of operation NYShield

Enhanced border security efforts were announced by Governor George E. Pataki as part of the state's war contingency plan, Operation NYShield. The governor and State Police Superintendent James W. McMahon have implemented stepped-up border security efforts, including the deployment of a significant number of additional State Troopers to cover the border and provide increased commercial vehicle inspections.

In addition to the State Police's normal personnel force, nearly 300 additional troopers are involved in Operation NYShield security efforts statewide. To safeguard the state's borders, the governor has implemented the deployment of a total of 120 additional State Troopers at the border. Six bomb detection canines and a number of additional troopers for commercial vehicle inspection are currently undergoing training and will be deployed to the border in June. According to Governor Pataki, the State Police and National Guard are working side-by-side with Federal, Canadian, and local law enforcement agencies to secure our borders through inspections, intelligence gathering and information sharing.

As part of Operation NYShield, Governor Pataki announced a Tri-State coalition to bolster security at critical transportation sites. The effort includes deployment of nearly 700 additional National Guard troops and State Police troopers, as well as an extension of the jurisdiction of officers from Connecticut and New Jersey into New York state to secure and patrol PATH and Metro North trains entering New York from those states.

Recent State Police Academy graduates commenced field training in preparation for their border security assignments. The governor ordered additional seasoned troopers to enhance border security as part of Operation NYShield. The recently graduated troopers will be deployed to the border upon completion of their field training. The addition of these recently graduated troopers brings the State Police force to 4,500 - the highest level ever, and a 20 percent increase.

In addition to increasing uniformed presence at the border, Governor Pataki also outlined the use of state-of-the art technology to perform commercial inspections at the border. The State Police uses handheld scanners that are capable of providing information instantaneously on the validity of drivers licenses and registrations. The State Police also employs the use of radiological detection equipment and works in conjunction with U.S. Customs on vehicle and cargo inspection systems (VACIS). VACIS is a mounted gamma ray imaging system that has the capability to view the contents of trucks, containers, cargo and passenger vehicles, providing the inspector the ability to locate contraband items.

The New York National Guard also uses a mobile VACIS system, which is capable of quickly and accurately scanning entire cars, cargo containers and tractor trailers for illegal drugs, money and instruments of terrorism. Since September 11, New York's National Guard Counterdrug Taskforce has deployed their MVACIS at border crossings, seaports and international airports across New York state.

New York state has several of the United States' busiest crossing areas along the Canadian border. The Champlain border crossing handles one million passenger vehicles and 400,000 commercial vehicles per year at its facility.

During federal fiscal year 2002, the State Police Commercial Vehicle Unit conducted 96,546 inspections, resulting in 122,110 violations. This inspection activity represents a 300 percent increase over activity since September 11.